A Beautiful White Rose
by Knight of Rogues
Summary: A sequel to "Moonlight Serenade." Read that one first. As the night wears on, a certain young scythe-weilder and a particular heiress decide Blake and Yang can't have all the fun. Though this, they find out a bit more about themselves than the reckoned.


**I guess it's kind of a sequel to "Moonlight Serenade," so read that first.**

As the night wore on, and Blake and Yang 'secretly' danced to the classic music, Ruby watched them from the balcony. Half with a sigh of happiness at the relationship that the faunice and the young huntress had no-doubt started, but also with the annoyance that her sister had gotten an attractive girl to dance with her. She fidgeted in her dress and heels, grumbling in annoyance.

"At least Yang could have given me a more comfortable outfit."

"Having trouble?" A refined voice asked. Looking to the side, the young girl saw Weiss step forward and rest on the railing like she was. Her elegant form showed absolute poise and refinement in her own outfit, which annoyed Ruby even more.

"Yeah. How the heck do you manage to fight in these things?" The heiress smirked.

"Years of practice." The two were silent for a moment before Ruby spoke up.

"So, uh, no date?"

"No." Weiss said softly.

Ruby was taken aback. She stayed silent as she tried to find the words that would best fit this situation. Suddenly, her mind stopped thinking as she felt a tear drop land on her hand. Tears trickled down Weiss' face, and she knew what to say.

"Weiss, don't feel down about it. You don't need a date! I mean, you're pretty, smart, a good fighter, and a good friend." The younger girl hugged Weiss, causing the huntress to smile.

"Really?"

"Really."

The silence settled in for a little while longer as they watched Blake and Yang continue their dance around the hall. Finally, Weiss spoke up, and said something that greatly surprised Ruby.

"Dance with me."

"What? That's stupid, I can't dance-"

"You can fight." The white-clad girl said stubbornly. "It's not different, it just means that you aren't trying to kill me." Ruby pondered that before agreeing. Weiss extended her hand in the same manner that Yang had. Said huntress' sister attempted to take hold of it, only to nearly fall over. After she regained her balance, she refused to move.

"You can't dance if you won't move." Weiss argued. Ruby shook her head.

"I can't move in these heels, I'll topple over and break my neck. Or your neck. Or someone's neck." Weiss sighed, before moving closer to Ruby, wrapping her arms around her arms.

"Then grab on to me." Ruby froze before tentatively wrapping her arms around the heiress' waist. In no time flat, the dance had gone from a casual ballroom dance to a tender moment.

They moved around, slowly but surely. Not spinning like Blake and Yang, but something gentler, closer. Both parties refused to look at each other at first, but slowly got over the awkwardness and brought themselves to look into each other's eyes.

Weiss' ice blue eyes met Ruby's silver ones, and the older of the two blushed even deeper, though there was a quiet sigh of content that accompanied it. Suddenly, Ruby realized what was going on.

"Have you never danced with someone before, Weiss?" She asked. Weiss looked away.

"Well, to be honest… no. No, I haven't." Ruby gave her an inquisitive look, and the Schnee heiress sighed.

"My father was always too busy with the company to do one of those 'father-daughter' dances that we would get invited to now and again. The only other sibling I had was my sister, Winter, and she never danced with me either."

"Wow. That must have been hard, kind of being by yourself." Ruby whistled. Weiss smiled softly.

"Well, my father didn't seem to think so. 'Think of the Schnee company, Weiss.' That's what he would tell me if I asked him to do something like that. 'That's what I'm doing right now. The name rests on my shoulders, and someday it will rest on yours. There's no time for silly dances.'"

"Was your sister always like that?"

"I suppose so. You remember when I said I wanted bunk-beds as a kid?" The scythe-wielder nodded.

"Well, she was the one who always objected and insisted that we keep our normal beds instead. She was always perfect, never showing any hesitance in her decisions and actions. I always tried to model myself after her." Weiss got a distant look in her eyes as she remembered her days at the house, acting like the model daughter as much as she hated it.

"What happened?" Ruby asked, looking up and stopping their slow dance. Weiss was jolted back to the present.

"I joined Team RWBY. When I was accepted, I was relieved that I had an opportunity to win my father's approval without acting like my sister. Then I became friends with you, Blake, and Yang. I feel like I can be normal around you three."

"That's good." Ruby beamed. "We don't want you to fake who you are." She paused, before adding, "_I _don't want you to fake who you are." Weiss smiled, hugging her team leader. Ruby smiled, closing her eyes. She leaned up and kissed Weiss on the cheek, only to have her recoil.

"Wha- what?!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Ruby whimpered. "I was caught in the moment, and I didn't think, and I'm-" She was cut off as she felt a pair of lips against her own. She attempted to speak still, deciding instead to just shut up until Weiss broke the kiss.

They were silent as they processed what had just happened, when Weiss spoke.

"Hm. First kiss. I never thought it would be with a girl." Ruby nodded in agreement, before smiling.

"So, uh, what does that mean?"

"I don't know…" Weiss replied. "I vouch for us not telling the others."

"Agreed. I'm going to go to the punch bowl, and let's pretend that didn't happen." They both nodded to eachother and walked off in opposite directions. Just before they were out of ear shot, Weiss called.

"Ruby?" The young girl turned. Weiss smiled.

"Thanks." Ruby nodded with a grin, and they went off to make sure there moment was unknown by all the others in the room.

An old poem came to Ruby, something from when she was little.

_'Tis the last rose of summer,_

_Left blooming alone;_

_All her lovely companions_

_Are faded and gone;_

_No flower of her kindred,_

_No rosebud is nigh,_

_To reflect back her blushes,_

_Or give sigh for sigh._

She thought about it hard, and hoped that that would never change. That her team, her companions, would never leave her. That the bonds they had now, would transcend time and space, and last an eternity.


End file.
